1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat mounting structure for a motorcycle, and to a motorcycle incorporating same. More particularly, the present invention relates to seat mounting structure including a seat rail having a slotted opening formed therein.
2. Description of the Background Art
There are several known seat mounting structures having seat rail members supporting a seat of a motorcycle. The seat rail is provided at a rearward portion of a vehicle (motorcycle) body, and is configured to support a seat thereon. The seat rail is extended rearwardly from a rear of a main frame of the motorcycle. The main frame forms a front half of the body of the motorcycle. The seat rail generally includes right and left seat rail members.
An example of such known seat mounting structure for a motorcycle is disclosed in Japanese Patent document JP 2706956.
According to Japanese Patent document JP 2706956, a seat frame for motorcycle includes a right and left seat frames. Each of the right and left seat frames has a grip 9, for securing a hand of a user, provided on rear side portions thereof. The grip 9 protrudes downwardly, and portions thereof which are open upwardly and each section of U-shaped grips 9 are integrated with rear halves of the left and right seat frames 5, 6 with the portions thereof protruding sidewardly (see FIGS. 1 and 4 of the Japanese Patent document JP Patent No. 2706956).
The grips of the seat frames of the Japanese Patent document JP Patent No. 2706956, have problems because: they protrude on both sides of the seat frames; width between the seat frames may be widened since they are U-shaped and are directed upwardly; the semi-cylindrical outside faces each section swollen downwardly are gripped when a passenger seating on the rear of the seat grasps the grips, and accordingly, it is difficult to grasp the grips. Also, when the sides of the grips are covered with a rear fender and a rear cowl because of appearance, the difficulty of grasping the grips is increased.
The present invention has been made to overcome such drawbacks. Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a seat mounting structure for a motorcycle having seat rail members which can be easily and securely grasped when a portion for securing a hand is provided to right and left seat rail members, in which an increase of vehicle width is restricted (inhibited) even if the portion for securing a hand is provided, and in which the appearance quality can be satisfactorily held while providing the portion for securing the seat rail members by user's hands.